Bridgewater, NJ — Northeast Conference (NEC) softball standout Olivia Ulam (Canonsburg, PA/Canon McMillan) has excelled in every facet of her career at Saint Francis U, and now, the flashy first baseman has the hardware to prove it.
 
The senior all-star earned the conference’s highest — and most prestigious — individual honor on Wednesday when she was tabbed the 2025 NEC Female Team Student-Athlete of the Year, presented by Provident Bank.
 
The NEC’s most prestigious honor annually recognizes individual excellence in the academic and athletic realms, as well as leadership and contributions to one’s community. Ulam rose to the top amongst a crop of nine exemplary standout female finalists from across the NEC’s nine core members.
 
“I am always in awe by the accomplishments of our Student-Athletes of the Year,” said NEC Commissioner Noreen Morris. “Balancing a rigorous academic course load and devoting countless hours to service, all while competing at the highest level, is an impressive feat. Olivia is a role model, not just on the softball field, but in the classroom and the community, and I know she will do nothing but achieve a high level of success in her future endeavors.” 
 
One of the most-feared hitters in the circuit during her four-year stay in Loretto, Ulam knocked it out of the park in her final season donning the Red and White. She crafted a .342/.399/.555 slash line and ranked inside the NEC’s top 10 in a plethora of categories, including batting average, OPS (.954), slugging percentage, runs (33), hits (53), home runs (6) and RBI (34). 
 
Ulam did some serious damage from the three-spot on the lineup card, but it was her superior — and nearly flawless — fielding skills at the other hot corner that separated her from the pack. Getting action on 173 plays during league play, 32 more than the closest competitor in the conference, she committed just one miscue with 165 putouts and seven assists for an efficient .994 fielding percentage. In addition, her keen eye, quick reflexes and high softball IQ resulted in the first baseman turning an NEC-leading seven double plays during the 21-game league slate.
 
As a result, she became the second Red Flash fielder to garner NEC Golden Glove distinction since the award was first introduced for the 2012 season. The honor is just one of a long list of career accolades that includes a whopping four All-NEC first team nods (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025), two NEC All-Tournament Team selections (2022, 2025) and an All-Region Second Team award (2024). 
 
Beyond her athletic prowess on the diamond that culminated in a .304 career batting average with 48 doubles, 24 dingers, 131 runs and 145 RBI, the Canonsburg, PA product hit a grand slam with her unprecedented success in the classroom, her selfless work in the community and her unwavering commitment to a Red Flash softball program that has established itself as a perennial power in the NEC. 
 
“Olivia continues the strong student-athletes who have graced our softball team over the last decade and helped continue our success in the NEC,” said Saint Francis U Director of Athletics Jim Brazill. “She has excelled at every facet of being the Female Team Student-Athlete of the Year. Olivia is a great ambassador of Saint Francis University and will continue to be in her future endeavors.”
 
Ulam has been a mainstay in a Saint Francis U clubhouse that has hoisted 13 trophies — six NEC regular season titles and seven NEC tournament championships — since the 2017 campaign. 
 
She led the Red Flash to a 73-17 record against NEC competitors during her career, including the program’s third undefeated league slate in 2024 (24-0 record), and three consecutive conference regular season crowns in 2022, 2023 and 2024. This past season, Ulam smashed two home runs during Saint Francis U’s commanding 2025 NEC Tournament run — including a first-inning, three-run bomb to open the scoring in in her team’s title-clinching win over LIU last month — to add a third ring to her hand and a third NCAA Tournament appearance to her count.
 
“Liv is not only an elite athlete, but also a strong leader,” said Saint Francis U softball head coach Beth Krysiak. “She has made a difference in every person’s life, helping them see their own value. I am so proud of her, impressed by her and am thankful to have coached her. I’m excited to see the difference she will continue to make in the lives of the young people she teaches.”  
 
Saint Francis U softball has had a strong pedigree when it comes to producing NEC Female Team Student-Athletes of the Year. Ulam is the third Red Flash baller to add the prestigious title to her impressive résumé in the past four years, joining NEC softball greats — and former teammates — Mekenzie Saban (2022) and Rachel Marsden (2024).
 
In the classroom, Ulam has been just as consistent and diligent. She earned a degree in Early Childhood Education and crossed the stage at commencement with a healthy 3.86 GPA. Landing on the President’s List four times, she is on track to earn her fourth College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District and her fourth NEC Commissioner’s Honor Roll nods this month. Furthermore, Ulam was the recipient of the 2025 Saint Francis Wallace Athletic Award, which is earmarked as the highest senior honor at the school’s annual end-of-the-year athletics banquet.
 
Ulam hit for the cycle with her exemplary leadership skills and desire to give back to the community. 
 
The three-year team captain took pride in creating a culture of accountability and respect, all while continuing the Red Flash’s winning tradition. She was a member of Saint Francis U’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and served as an E-Board member to the NEC SAAC this past season. In terms of community service, Ulam’s impressive list of activities is highlighted by involvement with campus cleanups and Seedz for Needz, serving as a volunteer for walks that benefit breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease awareness as well as participating in Saint Francis U’s annual RED Day. 
 
“Being named the NEC Female Team Student-Athlete of the Year is truly humbling,” stated Ulam. “This is an incredible honor that reflects not only the dedication and resiliency, but also the support from my teammates, coaches and the University. Playing softball at Saint Francis University has shaped me into a strong leader, teammate, student and person, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to represent this program and receive this recognition.”
 
Since the award’s inception in 2002-03, Saint Francis U has landed eight NEC Student-Athletes of the Year, with six female standouts garnering the honor during that stretch. This year marks the second time in as many iterations of the award that the Red Flash sweep both the Male and Female Team Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards, as Saint Francis U men’s volleyball player Andrew Deardorff (Itasca, IL/Lake Park) joined Ulam on the awards’ podium.
 
Last season, Peyton Blain, a men’s volleyball player at Saint Francis U, was honored alongside Marsden.
 
NEC STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR RECIPIENTS

2024-25       Andrew Deardoff, Saint Francis U (male team, volleyball)              
              Olivia Ulam, Saint Francis U (female team, softball)
2023-24       Peyton Blain, Saint Francis U (male team, volleyball)
              Rachel Marsden, Saint Francis U (female team, softball)
2022-23       Sokol Ymeraj, St. Francis Brooklyn (male team, soccer)   
              Ashley Dana, CCSU (female team, cross country/track and field) 
2021-22       Harald Sollund, St. Francis Brooklyn (male team, soccer)
              Angie Rafter, CCSU (female team, cross country/track and field)
              Mekenzie Saban, Saint Francis U (female team, softball) 
2020-21       Djordje Spasic, St. Francis Brooklyn (male team, swimming and diving)               
              Tiffany Hanna, Wagner (female team, track and field) 
2019-20       Jonathan Besselink, Wagner (male team, cross country/track and field)
              Sara Phelan, Saint Francis U (female team, track and field)
2018-19       Evan McDonald, Fairleigh Dickinson (male team, baseball)
              Pascalle Tego, Wagner (female team, golf)
2017-18       Charlton Boyd, Wagner (male team, tennis)
              Dana Davis, Robert Morris (female team, lacrosse)
2016-17       Kyle Mummau, Bryant (male team, lacrosse)
              Brianna Tredway, Wagner (female team, softball)
2015-16       Max Vogt, Bryant (male team, tennis)
              Amanda Lucia, Wagner (female team, swimming)
2014-15       Phil Faccone, Wagner (male team, football)
              Nicole Sleith, Robert Morris (female team, softball)
2013-14       Meredith Ketchmark, Wagner (swimming)
2012-13       Steve Cioicci, Wagner (football)
2011-12       Julia Prantl, Fairleigh Dickinson (tennis)
2010-11       Katherine Bossardet, CCSU (cross country, track and field)
2009-10       Kundayi Mawema, Bryant (field hockey)
2008-09       Alexandra Tomlinson, Wagner (swimming)
2007-08       Tiffany Hahn, Monmouth (track and field)
2006-07       Erika Jacobs, Saint Francis U (cross country, track and field)
2005-06       Joy Gallagher, Wagner (basketball, softball)
2004-05       Beth Swink, Saint Francis U (basketball)
2003-04       Naomi Campano, Mount St. Mary's (lacrosse)
2002-03       Sabrina Mariani, CCSU (soccer)